Production of animated cinematographic cartoons and puppet for use therefor



Jan. 27, 1942. E. A. SHORTER 2,271,312

PRODUCTION OF ANIMATED CINEMATOGRAPHIC CARTOONS AND PUPPET FOR USETHEREFOR Filed Feb 23 1939 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 PRODUCTION OF ANIMATEDICINEMATO- GRAPHIC CARTOONS AND PUPPET FOR USE THEREFOR Edwin ArthurShorter, Hitchin, England Application February 23, 1939, Serial No.257,998 a In Great Britain March 11, 1938 4- Claims.

This invention relates to animated cinematographic cartoons and moreparticularly to the manufacture of puppets of human figures, animals ofnatural or grotesque design and so on for use in the production of suchcartoons, its object being to provide figures of this nature which willpermit of ease and speed in assembly and the replacement or interchangeof parts.

In its essential characteristics, the invention consists in constructingsuch puppets or other figures on a unit system of separate parts whichcan be assembled together as required. Thus,

for instance, the head, trunk, arms, hands, legs and feet would eachform a separate unit.

The invention is shown solely by way of simple example in theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows the mechanism for a head; Fig. 2 shows the assembly ofthe trunk and one arm attached thereto, the other arm and the legs beingshown ready for connection to the trunk; Fig. 2a shows another view ofthe leg components; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show'various positions for themouth; Fig. 6 shows a detail applied to an animals head.

In the drawing:

The head I is advantageously a cast but may be otherwise formed of aplastic material housing a simple mechanical framework consistingessentially of spring-pressed ball and socket joints 2 or againhinge-jointed members 3 or the equivanipulated by the fingers, as willbe seen in Fig. 1.

The contortions of the mouth are not necessarily obtained by internalsupport but are preferably obtained by a number of thin metal shapessuch as shown at Figs. 3, 4 and 5, each formed to give full modelling ofthis member in various positions and attached to the face of the puppetor figure by a simple stud-type or press-button fastening 5 behind eachof the mouth plates, a hole such as 6 being formed on the face of thepuppet to receive the stud in the position norr mally occupied by themouth and which might be a spring clip. The use of such mouth plates insuccession, gives an effect of animation to this member to a muchgreater extent thanis possible by internally arranged control means inthe case of a puppet representing a human being and the result is moreamusing than the existing manner of interchanging the'lower headsections to otbain this animation. By the use of thin plates as hereindescribed preferably in conjunction with a plastic type of head withinternal control as described, extensive alterations in the form of themouth can easily be made while the plastic material permits the form ofthe lower face to suitably follow any configuration.

The eyeballs I are mounted hingedly or as shown by means of ball andsocket joints to the ends of rods la which in turn slide into holesbehind the eye sockets whereby the eyeballscan be pulled forward fromthe head to a varying extent.

The eyebrows 8 and moustache, if used, can form an integral part'of thehead but preferably are attached to pin-like projections 80, serving asa pivot, to facilitate movement of these parts.

In the case of some caricatured animals it may be desirable to effectalterations to the position of the'eyebrows byproviding a close fittingcap 9 (Fig. 6) with the outline 9a of the brows on its lower front edgewhich can be moved freely over the scalp.

The trunk of these puppets or figures (Fig.2) consists of two blocks H),II of material such as aluminium or other suitable lightweight materialconnected by a metal or other vertebra l2, preferably of soft metal,which passes through the upper block 10 to form a neck l3 at the top.

Holes It in the sides of the upper block In permit of the insertion ofrods or the like 15 to form arms while the lower or pelvic block I l, isdrilled to permit of leg rods I6 or members entering from below whenpuppet is required for standing, walking, running and so on, and at thefront in the holes I! when puppet is to assume a seated or likeattitude. This provides simplicity of construction and stability whenthe figure is in a standing or like position. The actual action of apuppet becoming seated" can, if required, be obtained by judiciouscutting of the film.

The arms 15 and legs I6 are constructed of light weight tubing orrodding of metal or other suitable more or less rigid material with softmetal connections of rod or tube or obviously vice versa by using ametal sleeve or sleeves over flexible or soft tubing or rodding, exceptat the joints as for example, at shoulders, elbows, wrists, below thepelvic block, at knees, and even at the ankles, if desired as shown inFigs. 2 and 2a, to get strength and flexibility where required. Thesemembers are constructed as units and are attached to, or for instancefitted into drilled sockets in the trunk blocks, hands and feet, by asimple plug type fitting such as a thimble or ferrule fitted over theend of the flexible rods or tubes so that they can be easily replacedbetween sequences or separate camera shots, if wear of the joints hasmade this necessary. This is a definite practical advantage over apuppet having a framework more or less permanently incorporated in itsconstruction.

The hands l8 are modelled to suit the character of the puppet and areadvantageously cast in lead or other suitable pliable material beingfinally coated with a film of composition to give same a flesh-likeappearance similar to the head, the lead cast giving adequate mobility.

The feet are likewise modelled to suit the character and cast in lead orother suitable material appropriately finished.

A series of arms or legs can naturally be made in difierent forms forattachment to save altering a single pair to obtain an efiect ofanimation.

The internal mechanism in the head may, in a typical and simple form ofconstruction consist of a tubular member I 9 adapted to engage over theneck l3 having at its other end a stem or the like 20- carrying atransverse arm 2| to which is pivoted at 3 extensions Zla to maintain inposition the ear portions of the-head l.

A compression spring 4 can be mounted on the stem 20 and the stem 20 mayfurther have an arm or arms, so shaped, or fitted with a plate 24 tomaintain the cheek portion of the head I in position.

In addition the stem 2!] may have a forwardly projecting arm (or arms)25 provided with a front member 26 in which is provided the hole 6 forthe reception of the stud of the mouthpiece. This member 25 may havespring pressed sockets 2 for holding the nose and chin portion of thehead I.

I claim:

1. A puppet figure for use in the production of cinematographic cartoonscomprising a thorax block member and a pelvic block member, reinforcedfiexible and detachable members engaging in said block members andhaving stifl metal sheaths to serve as bearings on which such flexiblemembers can oscillate to assume different positions for varying thecontour of the puppet figure, one flexible member engaged in said thoraxblock member to receive a tubular socket for the head of the puppet andmeans carried by said tubular socket for supporting the ears, mouth andchin.

2. A puppet figure for use in the production of cinematographic cartoonscomprising a thorax block member and a pelvic block member, reinforcedflexible and detachable members engaging in said block members andhaving stiff metal sheaths to serve as bearings on which such flexiblemembers can oscillate to assume different positionsfor varying thecontour of the puppet figure, one flexible member engaged in the thoraxblock, a tubular socket for the head of the puppet mounted on the lastmentioned flexible member, a stem carried by said tubular member, a compression spring and a transverse member mounted on said stem, and apivotal extension at each end of the transverse member for the ears ofthe puppet.

3. In a puppet figure as claimed in claim 2, a short vertical reinforcedflexible and detachable member secured to the thorax block to receive atubular socket for the puppet head, lateral arms on said tubular socketreaching respectively to the cheeks and chin, a compression spring and atransverse member mounted on the stem, and a pivotal extension at eachend of the transverse member for the ears of the puppet.

4. In a puppetfigure as claimed in claim 2, a short vertical reinforcedflexible and detachable member secured to the thorax block to receive atubular socket for the puppet head, lateral arms on said tubular socketreaching respectively to the cheeks and chin, spring, pressed ball andsocketv joints on said lateral arms to receive a detachable mouth, acompression spring and a transverse member mounted on said stem, and apivotal extension at each end of the transverse member for the ears ofthe puppet.

EDWIN ARTHUR SHORTER.

